The invention relates to an automatic surgical clip applier and, more particularly, to a clip applier having modular assemblies.
Surgical clips are utilized in various surgical procedures in a well known manner so as to ligate tissues, blood vessels and the like.
Surgical devices are known for applying such clips such as hemostatic forceps and the like which can be individually loaded with clips, or which are adapted to contain a supply of clips which are fed, one at a time, to jaws of the device. An example of such a device is as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,751.
Such surgical devices are advantageous in that they allow a surgeon to rapidly apply clips during a procedure without the need for manually loading each clip into the device. However, such devices are typically complex, expensive and in some cases inconvenient or cumbersome for the surgeon to use.
The need remains for a surgical device, specifically an automatic surgical clip applier, which is simple and reliable in use, and which is less expensive to manufacture.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic surgical clip applier wherein the function is smooth and convenient to the user.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and advantages have been readily attained.
According to the invention, an automatic surgical clip applier is provided which comprises a handle assembly having an actuating member for causing a first member to move sequentially in a distal direction and a proximal direction, and for causing a second member to move sequentially in a proximal direction and a distal direction; and a clip applier assembly adapted for releasably securing to said handle assembly and having a jaw closing member and a clip feeding member, said jaw closing member being engageable with said first member and said clip feeding member being engageable with said second member.
In still further accordance with the present invention, an automatic surgical clip applier is provided which includes a clip applier assembly having jaws for applying said clips and a storage structure for storing a plurality of said clips in a row with said legs extending distally toward said jaws, said storage structure defining a staging position proximally located relative to said jaws, and a waiting position proximally located relative to said staging position; and a clip feeding member slidably mounted relative to said storage structure and having a distal clip engaging member and a proximal clip engaging member, said clip feeding member being slidable from a proximal position to a distal position, wherein sliding of said clip feeding member from said proximal position to said distal position engages said distal clip engaging member with a distally leading clip at said staging position and engages said proximal clip engaging member with a distally second clip at said waiting position, and thereby moves said distally leading clip to said jaws and said distally second clip to said staging position.
The present invention advantageously provides a clip applier having modular assemblies, which allows the handle assembly portion to be reused as much as desired with clip applier cartridges adapted to connect with the assembly. A further advantage of the present invention is that such clip applier cartridges or modules are adapted such that cartridges containing different numbers of clips, and/or cartridges containing clips of different sizes, are all usable with the same handle assembly.